Ordered a Traditions .32 Crockett Kit

[FabMan]

Looking for advice on finishing the kit. I'm not sure how much metal and wood work there is on these but I want a traditional oil finish, not sure on the metal finish. Also any advice on a different ramrod. I saw some threads on loads and shooting it. Also issues with the hammer not lining up. I have a Lee .311 mold and I read it needs a thinner patch material. The last kit I did was a TC Hawkins over 40 years ago as a kid, lots of metal filing and wood work. I'm going to gift this to my grandson in a few years. Thanks for your input!

[LAGS]

Hello.
I built a Crockett Rifle for my wife last year.
We took it out two weeks ago and shot it for the first time.
I have not ordered a mold for it yet.
But it shot .310 patched balls very well.
I did the finish on hers in a Walnut stain and topped with Tru Oil.
The stain is not totally Dark.
It is more like stained then lightly sanded before the finish was applied so it kind of brought out what wood grain there was.
I can't post pictures on the site.
But I can send you pictures if you PM me a contact number.
I too also made a 5/16" Wood ramrod for hers since I didn't like the metal one that came with the rifle.
I also did several things to Upgrade the rifles looks , like changing the Ramrod Thimbles to Brass and added a patch box to the stock with Dragonfly castings added because that is one of her favorite emblems.
You can finish the stock in Linseed oil if you desire a more Oil style finish even if you stain the stock for the color you desire.

[FabMan]

Thanks LAGS, I sent a PM. How much metal and wood work is involved in this project?

[pworley1]

I have one that came finished so I am no help on the finishing advice but I can tell you that it will be a lot of fun to shoot. They are great for reducing the squirrel population.

[LAGS]

There wasn't much wood that had to be removed.
The wood to metal fit was good.
I truly consider this a Level 1 kit that can be assembled by anyone.
But it is so basic.
You can easily upgrade the kit to your liking like I did.
Well , not My liking , but more to my wife's liking.
She likes Sparkling things.

[Hanshi]

I bought my Crockett from the LGS years ago, so didn't have to assemble it. Accuracy is phenomenal, function was perfect and it took lots of small game. The hammer is often just a tad "wiggly" but hit the cap perfectly. I made a rod out of a fiberglass rod. I cut it to fit, put a brass ferrule on one end to be able to screw in scrapers, ball pullers, etc. On the other end I added a very small knob for easy pulling/pushing. I used this rod in the field and put the factory rod back in after cleaning.

The load I used was a .311" ball from a Lee mold, mattress ticking patch with Hoppes BP Lube over 30 grains of 3F. It cleanly took squirrels without anymore damage than a .22LR. Hits should be the head/neck area or the middle of the body. Best not to shoot the shoulders or hind quarters. That load gave sub 1" groups at 45 yards. I can't think of anything negative to say about them. Also I found 20 grns of 3F worked as well as the 30 grn load.

https://i.postimg.cc/bvx9zw39/PICT0433.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

[FabMan]

Thanks for the replies. I like the dark walnut color.
My muzzle loaders are all .50 cal. This small bore will take a lot of different tools to load, clean it.
My local shops don’t have anything for .32 so I will have to order them online. Would a hardwood dowel work for a ramrod? I have #10 caps but no 11’s. Glad to hear it has potential to take squirrels!

[LAGS]

I made the ramrod out of a 5/16" Oak dowel that I got at Home Depot.
I had to use steam to straighten it out a bit.
But it works great.
T o W has them too.
I ordered the ramrod ends from Track of the Wolf.
And I use mops for .32 rifles or 8mm cleaning mops and brushes.
But T o W has the .32 tips jags and other ramrod accessories.
I also ordered the lead balls and some Minnie's from them to try out before I order my mold from Lee.
I also have Buckshot molds for my Blunderbuss and shotguns that certain sizes will cast what I need.

[36g]

I put together a Traditions Hawkens this spring. Wood to metal fit was close but benefited from some finish filing before sanding the stock. I used leather dye to stain and then boiled linseed oil. Metal was rust browned using ToW Aqua Fortis. I preferred non shiny brass so antiqued it. Suggest to fit all metal pieces to stock first then do stock and metal finishing. I replaced the ramrod with a hickory one from ToW.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?442352-Traditions-Hawken-Kit&highlight=hawken+rifle

[FabMan]

Is the alcohol based leather dye better than oil based? I heard it stains birch better. I hope this kit has a walnut stock, it just states hardwood.

[Hannibal]

Is the alcohol based leather dye better than oil based? I heard it stains birch better. I hope this kit has a walnut stock, it just states hardwood.

If you are interested in walnut check into a Pendersoli kit. I'm building one myself now and it came with a nice walnut stock.

[LAGS]

The Crockett Kit is a light colored wood.
It looks like plain Maple , but it could be Beachwood.
I have done several Traditions Kits.
They all came with lighter wood that is Hardwood.
Just not Walnut.
That is one of the reasons the kits are cheaper to buy.
But as far as functionality , they are easy to build and durable.

[HWooldridge]

I owned .45 and a .54 ML's in the past but always wanted a .40 because most of the antique plains rifles I've seen from Texas are .40 to .42. Although buffalo were here in the early days, most anything else that lived in the state could have been taken with smaller calibers. Any bears would have all been small and probably no elk or large deer.

.32 would be a fun size - light and cheap to shoot.

[36g]

Is the alcohol based leather dye better than oil based? I heard it stains birch better. I hope this kit has a walnut stock, it just states hardwood.

For me, the alcohol based dye works well. It seems to penetrate the wood very well and dries quickly. I've used it on multiple stocks over the years and have been well pleased - that plus I have used it for leather work for a few decades and am comfortable with it. I'm leaning toward the Traditions stock being maple, definitely light colored. I wanted some color variegation hence the flaming first.

[FabMan]

Would this be a dark brown leather stain and do you prefer a brand? Walnut stains easy. I have had trouble with oil stains on maple and other hardwoods. Would not cover evenly. I have seen maple stocks with strips that look nice. I am looking for a darker color tho.

[36g]

Would this be a dark brown leather stain and do you prefer a brand? Walnut stains easy. I have had trouble with oil stains on maple and other hardwoods. Would not cover evenly. I have seen maple stocks with strips that look nice. I am looking for a darker color tho.

I'm partial to Fiebings. I'd suggest getting a bottle of medium brown and a bottle of dark brown. Test each in the barrel channel to see if you like one better than the other. If so desired they can be mixed to yield shades between the light and dark pure versions. I've not had any problems with streaking. If need be just add a second coat to even out any stripes. If testing in the barrel channel don't forget to add the finish coat (linseed/tung oil or whatever) also as they will tend to darken the color a bit also. If you want distinct stripes in the wood, do some flaming with a propane torch to your hearts desire.

[FabMan]

Thanks,
Long ago I tried dark brown Kiwi shoe stain on I think a beech Garand stock. It did better than the minwax dark walnut oil stain. It was a bottle with a sponge applicator on it. I will try Fiebings.

[LAGS]

Well guys,
I am back on the Traditions Kit building mode.
A friend died recently.
Today his wife gave me a Traditions Kentucky Rifle Kit that her husband never got a chance to build.
I told her I want to build it in memory of a late friend.
And do things to it that perpetuate his memory.
Like do brass inlays or possible carvings.
I wanted to build it for their grandkids.
But she said, their mom does not want them to have guns.

[Hannibal]

Well guys,
I am back on the Traditions Kit building mode.
A friend died recently.
Today his wife gave me a Traditions Kentucky Rifle Kit that her husband never got a chance to build.
I told her I want to build it in memory of a late friend.
And do things to it that perpetuate his memory.
Like do brass inlays or possible carvings.
I wanted to build it for their grandkids.
But she said, their mom does not want them to have guns.

That's a shame but unfortunately not uncommon.

[36g]

Just for comparison purposes, here is what I believe to be a period Crockett type of rifle. Lock is marked JOSEPHGOLCHER and it has a 38" .36 barrel. Picked up at an antique mall in Bozeman, MT.

302885
302886
302887

[725]

36g is right on with the suggestion of Fiebings shoe/leather polish. Great stuff for coloring stocks. Do various experiments to arrive at your desired color. There is also a product made by ? Min-Wax ? (possibly) that is a pre-stain. Follow the instructions and it does a better job, especially on those woods with weird / hard grain / difficult woods to take on a color.

[FabMan]

Yes, I remember using that pre stain on pine molding. It did help. I have several milsurps that need staining to. I will order the brown and dark brown to see what I can do.

[OverMax]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOrzQir9WP9UpH8qtWx_ppw

If I were looking for the technical do's and don'ts in assembly? This young feller (link above) has built a few kits on video. Easy to watch tips and techniques. Or__ there are a good amount of qualified builders here on this site you could contact for their assembly expertise. Such a rifle (32) given too Grandson via Grandpa. "Surely would be a life long cherished treasure.

[FabMan]

Track of the Wolf has everything I will need. They even have a 6 cavity .32 Maxi Ball mold. How neat is that! I wonder how they shoot. I must admit I'm a metal worker. Not a carpenter. My muzzleloaders are well used from hunting so I want this .32 kind of plain like the rest of my stuff. My grandson can spice it up whenever he wants to.

[36g]

ToW is a great supplier. I've stopped in their shop a couple of times and they've always been helpful and friendly.

I've also preferred the more basic looks and really like browned metal over blued. I've changed out the brass fittings on some builds for steel just for a more period look. ToW is great for those parts too.

[LAGS]

I shot 32Maxi's in a rifle that I had years back.
They shot really good , and will work well for small game like rabbits ,racoons and maybe other mid sized critters.
The balls worked well for squirrels and cottontails.
They seem to load faster.
But on larger critters , you don't need to be that fast on a second shot.

[dondiego]

I got the TOW .32 Maxi mold for my .32 Crockett and am happy. It is so easy to load and shoot.

[Dtdk]

I have been thinking about one of these for a while, I just wish they offered a Kentucky style rifle in 32

[LAGS]

Pedersolli does offer the Kentucky or even Pennsylvania rifles in .32 cal.
They cost a little more than the Traditions Kits.
But they are well worth it.

[FabMan]

Just received the Crockett. The wood looks like plain maple and the kit as a whole shouldn’t be too hard to assemble. The barrel is smooth and polished. Has anyone removed the large safety warning billboard etched in the barrel?

[LAGS]

All that stamping on the barrel can be removed by draw filing.
I don't know if it will effect any Warrenties.
But it is your rifle.

[HWooldridge]

If the dovetails are not already cut, you might be able to flip the barrel over and put the safety warning against the stock.

[FabMan]

Thanks, a filing I will do. The barrel is super polished like glass. Not sure I can match it after filing tho. The dovetails are already cut in. I will try to brown the steel parts and dull the brass parts. Try to make that stock look older too.

[Hannibal]

Thanks, a filing I will do. The barrel is super polished like glass. Not sure I can match it after filing tho. The dovetails are already cut in. I will try to brown the steel parts and dull the brass parts. Try to make that stock look older too.

After draw filing start out with about 150 grit sandpaper and keep progressing to finer grades. If you're planning to brown or slow rust blue it you need to stop at about 400 grit anyway. Anything finer and the solution will tend to bead up instead of going on evenly and through the treatment process any finer sanding will make no visible appearance in the final finish, anyway.
Cold/chemical bluing or hot caustic bluing is where you want a highly polished surface before beginning the finish treatment.

[FrankJD]

The Crockett is basically a screw driver kit. It's build can be as simple or complicated as you prefer. I've built two and did simple stain under clear coats of Tru-Oil. With one, the hammer didn't properly align with the nipple and required heating with a propane torch and bending. A fun gun at best.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdwiCpxManQ